GitHub-Flavored Markdown Comments vs Native PHP Sessions
Two WordPress plugins head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
These aren’t all alternatives to each other — they do different jobs — so this page compares popularity only, not features.
At a glance
Native PHP Sessions leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #1,595, ahead of GitHub-Flavored Markdown Comments at #38,823. Over the last 7 days Native PHP Sessions climbed 4 places and GitHub-Flavored Markdown Comments climbed 868 places. Native PHP Sessions has the largest install base, roughly 1000× the next: 10K+ active installs against 10+ for GitHub-Flavored Markdown Comments. Downloads this week: Native PHP Sessions 5,201 and GitHub-Flavored Markdown Comments 20. Ratings: GitHub-Flavored Markdown Comments 5★ from 1 and Native PHP Sessions 4.9★ from 16 reviews.
| Metric | GitHub-Flavored Markdown Comments | Native PHP Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #38,823 ▲ 868 | #1,595 ▲ 4 |
| Active installs | 10+ | 10K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 20 | 5,201 |
| Rating | 5★ (1) | 4.9★ (16) |
| Last updated | Mar 8, 2013 | Dec 4, 2025 |
| Current version | 1.0 | 1.4.5 |
| Best rank on record | #34,054 | #1,593 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Mar 2013 | Sep 2014 |
Highlighted cells mark the strongest figure in each row. Rank and installs are from the latest WordPress.org capture; downloads are the last seven captured days.
Ranking history Lower is better
Active installs
Downloads per day
More comparisons
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- Native PHP Sessions vs Throws SPAM Away
- Native PHP Sessions vs Cookies for Comments
- Native PHP Sessions vs Disable Comments RB
- Native PHP Sessions vs Subscribe to Comments
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, GitHub-Flavored Markdown Comments or Native PHP Sessions?
By active installs, Native PHP Sessions: 10K+ sites run it against 10+ for GitHub-Flavored Markdown Comments, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 29, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, GitHub-Flavored Markdown Comments or Native PHP Sessions?
Native PHP Sessions, at #1,595 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with GitHub-Flavored Markdown Comments at #38,823. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are GitHub-Flavored Markdown Comments or Native PHP Sessions alternatives to each other?
Not all of them. Some of these plugins do different jobs and many sites run more than one. This page compares their popularity, not their features.
Where do these numbers come from?
WordPress.org publishes each plugin’s active install count and its position on the popular list. This site records both every day, along with per-day downloads and ratings, so the charts above show how the plugins have moved over time rather than a single day.